Speaking to a Polish priest friend recently, I asked why we had so many Polish-born priests here in Chicago. The obvious reason is that Chicago the largest-speaking Polish-speaking population outside of Warsaw.
[featured-image single_newwindow=”true”]He revealed to me, however, something more profound.
During the Cold War, the church was where young Poles found freedom. During a time of misery, the church was where they found hope. The church was where they found generosity. The church was where they were human beings, not pawns in a political showdown. The love generated in the church made them yearn to serve it.
Does It Matter Today?
I wish more people could hear his message today. Religion and freedom often seem to march in opposite directions. The more religious a society is, many believe, the less freedom there is.
In parts of America religion is associated with homophobia and ultra-conservative politics. Theocratic countries in the Middle East use it as a tool to keep women in subordinate roles and minorities as second-class citizens.
[callout]As we celebrate the fall of Berlin wall, we need to remember that these practices distort and undermines the real power of faith. The great religion—Judaism, Christianity, Islam and many others—carry a message greater than the one seen in the politics and divisions of today. When lived authentically, they are one of the great tools against tyranny. [/callout]What Makes Us Free
In other words, freedom is not the enemy of faith. It is amongst its greatest allies. As Rabbi Jonathan Sacks has put it, “Nothing amuses and angers God more in the Bible than people setting themselves up as demigods, as many ancient rulers did and as tyrants have continued to do ever since, among them, in the twentieth century, Stalin, Mao and President Kim Il-Sung of North Korea.”
This message needs to be heard not only by those who caricature faith as oppressive. Today it needs to be heard by radical Muslims. It needs to be heard by Ultra-Orthodox Jews. It needs to be radically fundamentalist Christians.
At its core, religion is not about seeking power. It is serving a higher truth more powerful than us. That is a lesson from the Cold War we must never forget.
